Mage Hunter PrC, opinions?

[Wyldemage]

I had to design my own PrC by DM's request. Please give your thoughts and criticisms so I can tweak it into a balanced form prior to submitting it.


Mage Hunter

Requirements:
Alignment: any nonevil
Base Attack Bonus: +5
Skills: Knowledge(Arcana) 10 ranks, Spellcraft 5 ranks
Feats: Track, Iron Will
Spells: Ability to cast 3rd level Abjurations
Special: Arcane Spellcaster as favored enemy


[Class Skills:

Alchemy(Int), Climb(Str), Concentration(Con), Craft(Int), Heal(Wis), Hide(Dex), Jump(Str), Knowledge(Arcana)(Int), Knowledge(Religion)(Int), Knowledge(Lore)(Int), Listen(Wis), Move Silently(Dex), Scry(Int,exclusive), Search(Int), Sense Motive(Wis), Spellcraft(Int), Spot(Wis), Swim(Str), Use Rope(Dex), Survival(Wis).
Skill points per level: 4 + Int modifier


Class Features:


Class Level BaB Fort Save Ref Save Will Save Special Spells/Day
1st +1 +2 +0 +2 Detect Evil, Resolve
2nd +2 +3 +0 +3 Evasion +1 lvl/ex.class
3rd +3 +3 +1 +3 Aura of Courage
4th +4 +4 +1 +4 Mage Slayer +1 lvl/ex.class
5th +5 +4 +1 +4 Improved Evasion
6th +6 +5 +2 +5 Inspire Fear +1 lvl/ex.class
7th +7 +5 +2 +5 Pierce Magical Concealments
8th +8 +6 +2 +6 Resist Evil Magic +1 lvl/ex.class
9th +9 +6 +3 +6 Arcane Tracker
10th +10 +7 +3 +7 Pierce Mag. Defense +1 lvl/ex.class
The following are class features of the Witch Hunter.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Witch hunters are proficient in all simple and martial weapons and with all armors.
Spells per Day: A witch hunter continues her magical training as well as perfecting the techniques of the Hunter. At 2nd level and every even level thereafter the witch hunter gains new spells per day and spells known as if she had advanced one level in her spellcasting class. She does not gain any other benefit from the spellcasting class.
Detect Evil: At will, the witch hunter can use detect evil as a spell-like ability.
Resolve: A witch hunter applies her wisdom modifier(if positive) as a bonus on all saving throws.
Evasion: At 2nd level and higher, a witch hunter can avoid magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If she makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save she instead takes no damage. Evasion can only be used if the witch hunter is wearing light or no armor, and isn't helpless(such as paralyzed or unconscious).
Aura of Courage: Beginning at 3rd level a witch hunter is immune to fear(magical or otherwise). Allies within 10 feet of the witch hunter gain a +4 morale bonus on saving throws versus fear effects. Granting the bonus to allies is a supernatural ability.
Mage Slayer: Enemy spellcasters which you threaten suffer a -2 penalty per witch hunter level you possess to their Concentration checks.
Improved Evasion: At 5th level and above, a witch hunter can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with ease. If the witch hunter makes a successful Reflex save against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save she instead takes no damage. Even if she fails her save, she takes only half damage from the attack. Evasion can only be used if the witch hunter is wearing light or no armor, and isn't helpless(such as paralyzed or unconscious).
Inspire Fear: Your reputation precedes you. Any spellcaster, his familiar, cohorts, or henchmen are affected by the effects of the Fear spell, as if cast by a 20th level caster.
Pierce Magical Concealments/Phantasms: At will, the witch hunter can use True Seeing as a spell-like ability.
NonDetection: The witch hunter is warded at 7th level by a continous nondetection effect as per the spell. To overcome the ward, the caster of the divination must succeed on a DC 35 caster level check. This is a supernatural ability.
Resist Evil Magic: At 8th level, a witch hunter gains a specialized spell resistance equal to 20 + her class level. This spell resistance applies only to evil spells or spell-like abilities, or spells cast by evil creatures.
Arcane Tracker: The witch hunter has perfected the art of tracking to the point that he can discern the residual traces of transportation spells, and with a successful spellcraft check can determine where the spell led. By successfully passing the caster level check the witch hunter can follow tracks through dimension doors, over teleportations, and even across planes to continue hounding their prey.
Pierce Magical Protections: At 10th level the witch hunter gains the ability to destroy the magical protections wizards weave around themselves. Up to 3 times a day, a witch hunter may declare a targeted dispel at any spellcaster he attacks in melee. If the strike successfully hits, the target is affected by a Greater Dispel Magic at 20th caster level.

 

[Hawken]

How did you come up with the name? The class doesn't seem to have much to do with witches rather than arcane casters.

BAB requirement is high for a class that is not really a combat class, despite the name.

Why did you decide that Know (arcana) needed 10 ranks? Why not Spellcraft? Or something else? Why the requirement to cast 3rd level abjurations? Why not evocations or enchantments?

Iron Will is a good req. but what does Track have to do with the class? This isn't remotely ranger-based and with the emphasis on magical skills, Track seems out of place.

BAB is too high for a non-combat oriented class and if you are granting caster level advancement the BAB should be maybe the same as a rogue, not a fighter.

Detect Evil is too powerful for at will. Maybe limit to a number of times per day as a spell like ability.

Evasion is seriously out of place, even with its limit on the armor worn. Maybe call it Arcane Evasion or something and limit its effect to arcane spells.

Aura of courage is out of place too. Maybe a +4 bonus to fear spells and effects instead. Nothing inspirational about this class to justify a courage bonus to anyone standing nearby.

Mage Slayer is interesting but over powered, having a -20 penalty to Concentration at 10th level is excessive. Maybe -2 at 4th, -4 at 6th, -6 at 8th and -8 at 10th. Also, maybe figure a reason how this happens. If I was a witch facing a character like this, I'd be a hell of a lot MORE focused than not.

Remove Improved Evasion and if you restrict it to the suggestion above concerning Evasion, then give it at 7th or 8th level instead.

Inspire fear is too strong. You need to limit it to maybe 1 or 2 times a day and at your caster level.

At will True Seeing is WAY too powerful. Maybe 1/day is good since this is a divine power being accessed by an otherwise arcane caster.

The SR is interesting, but pointless at later levels. You should give it at maybe 1st and make it 10 + 2 points per Witch Hunter level. That way it can still be of use at the earlier levels instead of only at the higher levels when many opponents would be able to beat that caster level check.

Arcane Tracker should be toned down to maybe one use per point of Int modifier where each use can trace a spell (teleport start and end, fly start and end, etc.). There are spells that duplicate these effects but I think they are around 4th or 5th level and duplicating that at will is too powerful.

The Pierce Magical Protections should be reduced to Greater Dispel Magic at caster level instead of 20th.

One final note, this class seems to focus against wizards in general and evil wizards more specifically and I could find nothing about it to indicate a focus toward hunting witches. You should check out the Ravenloft Player's Handbook, it has a Monster Hunter prestige class and a more specialized prestige class that is probably a lot closer to what you are looking for. That book also has a lot of info on hags and witches too which could only help you develop what you are wanting to make.

Also, unless I am mistaken, Favored Enemies are races not classes. You could not have Arcane Spellcaster as a Favored Enemy.

One more thing, it is very odd that you almost have to be an arcane caster to take this class, and arcane casters are what this class trains to kill. It would make more sense for you to focus on overcoming magical abilities rather than improving them.

 

[Wyldemage]

Thanks for the input. Mage Hunter would be a more appropriate title, and the reasoning behind the abjurations is they are anti-magic magic. It helps to know your enemy(smae for the Spellcraft and Knowledge:Arcana req's... My DM allowed the Favored Enemy:Arcane casters, you are of course correct that it isn't a normally viable choice. As for the tracking, the class is built towards hunting mages, I felt it was appropriate. I should point out that this PrC is geared towards a specific character and history in our campaign world, and as a Mage Hunter, I think that Ranger was the most appropriate class for lead in. Thus the BaB. I'll take your advice to heart and post a tweaked version soon. Again, thanks.

 

[Wyldemage]

Mage Hunter

Requirements:
Alignment: any nonevil
Base Attack Bonus: +5
Skills: Knowledge(Arcana) 5 ranks, Spellcraft 10 ranks, Survival 10 ranks
Feats: Iron Will, Track
Spells: Ability to cast 3rd level Abjurations



Class Skills:

Alchemy(Int), Climb(Str), Concentration(Con), Craft(Int), Heal(Wis), Hide(Dex), Jump(Str), Knowledge(Arcana)(Int), Knowledge(Religion)(Int), Knowledge(Lore)(Int), Listen(Wis), Move Silently(Dex), Scry(Int,exclusive), Search(Int), Sense Motive(Wis), Spellcraft(Int), Spot(Wis), Swim(Str), Use Rope(Dex), Survival(Wis).
Skill points per level: 4 + Int modifier


Class Features:


Class Level BaB Fort Save Ref Save Will Save Special Spells/Day
1st +1 +2 +0 +2 Detect Evil, Resolve
2nd +2 +3 +0 +3 Arcane Evasion +1 lvl/ex.class
3rd +3 +3 +1 +3 Resist Evil Magic
4th +4 +4 +1 +4 Mage Slayer +1 lvl/ex.class
5th +5 +4 +1 +4
6th +6 +5 +2 +5 Inspire Fear +1 lvl/ex.class
7th +7 +5 +2 +5 Pierce Magical Concealments
8th +8 +6 +2 +6 Imp. Arcane Evasion +1 lvl/ex.class
9th +9 +6 +3 +6 Arcane Tracker
10th +10 +7 +3 +7 Pierce Mag. Defense +1 lvl/ex.class


The following are class features of the Mage Hunter.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Mage hunters are proficient in all simple and martial weapons and with all armors.
Spells per Day: A mage hunter continues her magical training as well as perfecting the techniques of the Hunter. At 2nd level and every even level thereafter the mage hunter gains new spells per day and spells known as if she had advanced one level in her spellcasting class. She does not gain any other benefit from the spellcasting class.

Detect Evil: At will, the mage hunter can use detect evil as a spell-like ability.
Resolve: A mage hunter applies her wisdom modifier(if positive) as a bonus on all saving throws.
Arcane Evasion: At 2nd level and higher, a mage hunter can avoid magical attacks with great agility. If she makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save she instead takes no damage. Arcane Evasion can only be used if the mage hunter is wearing light or no armor, and isn't helpless(such as paralyzed or unconscious). This applies to Arcane effects only.
Mage Slayer: Enemy spellcasters which you threaten suffer a -2 penalty per mage hunter level you possess to their Concentration checks due to your training, in spellcraft, you know how to best disorient, distract, or disable a spellcaster during casting.
Improved Arcane Evasion: At 8th level and above, a mage hunter can avoid magical attacks with ease. If the mage hunter makes a successful Reflex save against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save she instead takes no damage. Even if she fails her save, she takes only half damage from the attack. Evasion can only be used if the mage hunter is wearing light or no armor, and isn't helpless(such as paralyzed or unconscious). This applies to arcane effects only.
Inspire Fear: Your reputation precedes you. Any spellcaster, his familiar, cohorts, or henchmen are affected by the effects of the Fear spell, as if cast by a 20th level caster 3x a day as a spell-like ability.
Pierce Magical Concealments/Phantasms: Once a day, the mage hunter can use True Seeing as a spell-like ability.
NonDetection: The mage hunter is warded at 7th level by a continous nondetection effect as per the spell. To overcome the ward, the caster of the divination must succeed on a DC 35 caster level check. This is a supernatural ability.
Resist Evil Magic: At 3rd level, a mage hunter gains a specialized spell resistance equal to 10 + 2 per her mage hunter class level. This spell resistance applies only to evil spells or spell-like abilities, or spells cast by evil creatures.
Arcane Tracker: The mage hunter has perfected the art of tracking to the point that he can discern the residual traces of transportation spells, and with a successful spellcraft check can determine where the spell led. By successfully passing the caster level check the mage hunter can follow tracks through dimension doors, over teleportations, and even across planes to continue hounding their prey. Useable a number of times/day equal to INT modifier.
Pierce Magical Protections: At 10th level the mage hunter gains the ability to destroy the magical protections wizards weave around themselves. Up to 3 times a day, a witch hunter may declare a targeted dispel at any spellcaster he attacks in melee. If the strike successfully hits, the target is affected by a Greater Dispel Magic at caster level.

 

[yennico]

A wizard level 7 wizard can fullfill your requirements for the mage hunter prc.
Why should a single class wizard enter a prc with fighter bab and class skills like an wizard/ranger? With this class skill list the prc needs a requirement with at least one level ranger (more than track).

BTW you have forgot the hit die?

In Magic of Faerun exist a prc with the name mage-killer.

 

[Wyldemage]

Mage Hunter

Requirements:
Alignment: any nonevil
Base Attack Bonus: +5
Skills: Knowledge(Arcana) 5 ranks, Spellcraft 10 ranks, Survival 10 ranks
Feats: Iron Will, Track
Spells: Ability to cast 3rd level Abjurations
Special: Favored Enemy(Arcane Spellcasters*), Swift Tracker ability

*Requires DM approval

Hit Die: D8

Class Skills:

Alchemy(Int), Climb(Str), Concentration(Con), Craft(Int), Heal(Wis), Hide(Dex), Jump(Str), Knowledge(Arcana)(Int), Knowledge(Religion)(Int), Knowledge(Lore)(Int), Listen(Wis), Move Silently(Dex), Scry(Int,exclusive), Search(Int), Sense Motive(Wis), Spellcraft(Int), Spot(Wis), Swim(Str), Use Rope(Dex), Survival(Wis).
Skill points per level: 4 + Int modifier


Class Features:


Class Level BaB Fort Save Ref Save Will Save Special Spells/Day
1st +1 +2 +0 +2 Detect Evil, Resolve
2nd +2 +3 +0 +3 Arcane Evasion +1 lvl/ex.class
3rd +3 +3 +1 +3 Resist Evil Magic
4th +4 +4 +1 +4 Mage Slayer +1 lvl/ex.class
5th +5 +4 +1 +4
6th +6 +5 +2 +5 Inspire Fear +1 lvl/ex.class
7th +7 +5 +2 +5 Pierce Magical Concealments
8th +8 +6 +2 +6 Imp. Arcane Evasion +1 lvl/ex.class
9th +9 +6 +3 +6 Arcane Tracker
10th +10 +7 +3 +7 Pierce Mag. Defense +1 lvl/ex.class


The following are class features of the Mage Hunter.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Mage hunters are proficient in all simple and martial weapons and with all armors.
Spells per Day: A mage hunter continues her magical training as well as perfecting the techniques of the Hunter. At 2nd level and every even level thereafter the mage hunter gains new spells per day and spells known as if she had advanced one level in her spellcasting class. She does not gain any other benefit from the spellcasting class.

Detect Evil: At will, the mage hunter can use detect evil as a spell-like ability.
Resolve: A mage hunter applies her wisdom modifier(if positive) as a bonus on all saving throws.
Arcane Evasion: At 2nd level and higher, a mage hunter can avoid magical attacks with great agility. If she makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save she instead takes no damage. Arcane Evasion can only be used if the mage hunter is wearing light or no armor, and isn't helpless(such as paralyzed or unconscious). This applies to Arcane effects only.
Mage Slayer: Enemy spellcasters which you threaten suffer a -2 penalty per mage hunter level you possess to their Concentration checks due to your training, in spellcraft, you know how to best disorient, distract, or disable a spellcaster during casting.
Improved Arcane Evasion: At 8th level and above, a mage hunter can avoid magical attacks with ease. If the mage hunter makes a successful Reflex save against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save she instead takes no damage. Even if she fails her save, she takes only half damage from the attack. Evasion can only be used if the mage hunter is wearing light or no armor, and isn't helpless(such as paralyzed or unconscious). This applies to arcane effects only.
Inspire Fear: Your reputation precedes you. Any spellcaster, his familiar, cohorts, or henchmen are affected by the effects of the Fear spell, as if cast by a 20th level caster 3x a day as a spell-like ability.
Pierce Magical Concealments/Phantasms: Once a day, the mage hunter can use True Seeing as a spell-like ability.
NonDetection: The mage hunter is warded at 7th level by a continous nondetection effect as per the spell. To overcome the ward, the caster of the divination must succeed on a DC 35 caster level check. This is a supernatural ability.
Resist Evil Magic: At 3rd level, a mage hunter gains a specialized spell resistance equal to 10 + 2 per her mage hunter class level. This spell resistance applies only to evil spells or spell-like abilities, or spells cast by evil creatures.
Arcane Tracker: The mage hunter has perfected the art of tracking to the point that he can discern the residual traces of transportation spells, and with a successful spellcraft check can determine where the spell led. By successfully passing the caster level check the mage hunter can follow tracks through dimension doors, over teleportations, and even across planes to continue hounding their prey. Useable a number of times/day equal to INT modifier.
Pierce Magical Protections: At 10th level the mage hunter gains the ability to destroy the magical protections wizards weave around themselves. Up to 3 times a day, a witch hunter may declare a targeted dispel at any spellcaster he attacks in melee. If the strike successfully hits, the target is affected by a Greater Dispel Magic at caster level.

 

[VoiceOfReason?]

If I were your DM I'd strip the class down by offering to remove about 2/3 of the special abilities and stamp it approved, or drop the HD/BA a notch, one of the good saves, and half a dozen class skills. That tells me a) some powergaming is going on-go for all the cool stuff you can get. or b) you'll need to trim the PrC to be somewhat on par with other available (published) PrC's.

In the case of option a) try to get more SR (50 isn't enough) and flight if you can, you'll need to chase the hapless wizard's henchmen down (powergamed villains rarely strategically witdraw, just die and bestow an inheritance).

In the case of option b) well, here goes..


I'm seeing a few classes here being shoved together. Namely a Paladin-like PrC and a Ranger-like PrC. The problem is that the prerequisites reflect only the rangerly side, while the special abilities give you most of a paladin's good abilities with almost none of it's restrictions.

Detect Evil is simply out of place. Detect Magic seems much more logical for a hunter of the magically inclined.
Aura of Courage is another that's simply out of place. If I were editing your PrC I'd dump it.
The penalty imposed with Mage Slayer is huge, but the ability fits well with the theme. I'd lower the penalty but keep the ability.
Resolve, IMHO should be restricted to saves against arcane spells and magical devices, to more appropriately reflect the character's insight into the powers being bared against him.
Evasion and improved evasion run along the ranger vein and are unquestionably useful against most wizards and sorcerers.
Inspire Fear I think I would nerf to caster level=2xPrC lvl, or character's caster level, whichever is greater.
True Seeing at will is something that sends up red flags for most DM's. I'd drop it out of hand more often than not if I were running the game. True Seeing 2xday or an automatic (but subconcious and thus rolled secretly by DM) chance to disbelieve any illusion simply by seeing it (and again when you interact with it as per the spell's description).
Nondetection...sure..justifies the abjuration prereq.
Resist Evil Magic is another that seems paladinly without purpose. Perhaps roll this one and the modified resolve up into one and call it spell resistance?
For Arcane Tracker I'd alter it a bit. After making a spellcraft check to identify the spell used, the mage hunter can make a survival check DC (15+spell level+2 for each previous failed attempt to track a particular travel spell) to divine the destination point (thus tying the ranger aspect back in).

Long story sho...not so long..if one of my players had handed this to me for editing I'd hand back something like this for them to modify and hand back or OK:
Prerequisites as listed.
HD: d8
Class skills and skill pts/lvl as listed
BAB: as cleric (let's face it, wizards aren't that hard to hit)
Saves as listed
spell/day and caster lvl progression as listed

Special:
1) Detect Magic, as the spell, functioning at will as per a paladin's detect evil.
2) Evasion
3) Spell Resistance (10+Mage Hunter level)
4) Mage Slayer (-4)
5) Imp. Evasion
6) Inspire Fear (caster level 2xMage Hunter lvl)
7) Pierce Magical Concealments; Mage Hunter is allowed an additional saving throw to recognize an illusion upon seeing one. This save is made without the players' knowledge.
8) Mage Slayer (-8); Nondetection
9) Arcane Tracker (spellcraft to identify transport spell, followed by survival check DC 15+spell level+2/failed attempt to figure out the destination)
10) Pierce Magical Protections as listed.

Still seems like a powerful class to me, but it's closer, I think. Maybe I missed the point entirely and you wanted the paladinesque feel. in that case might I suggest a code of conduct and trading the lvl 10 ability for an arcane smite of some sort that bypasses magical defenses (destroying force effects is a nice touch)?